Removing ambiguity

A PARADOXICAL point made by Mr John Negroponte in Islamabad on Wednesday was that his country wanted to see “democratic elections” in Pakistan. But elections must be democratic if the exercise is to be termed an election and not a farce. “Undemocratic elections” are an oxymoron. We have had enough of them, and the generals ruling us better take note of it, because the plea or advice has come from a superpower that is the Pakistan government’s major benefactor at the moment. The American deputy secretary of state also expressed the hope that elections would be held in Pakistan “shortly” and that the Bush administration wanted to see “a smooth and democratic political transition” in this country. Such foreign advice on our domestic affairs, however well-meaning, would normally be treated as an affront. But Mr Negroponte’s advice is not the first or the last coming from an outsider. We must be prepared for such counselling from our foreign friends when we involve them in our domestic politics as has been the role of Mr Jack Straw in the yet incomplete “deal” between President Pervez Musharraf and Ms Benazir Bhutto, Washington’s pressure for a “moderate” regime in Pakistan or the Saudi-Hariri role in the Sharif exile story.

The Negroponte press talk coincided with the reiteration by the federal cabinet of its support to the idea of President Musharraf being elected head of state by the existing assemblies, the point about uniform being left vague. While all parties in APDM are already opposed to the general’s re-election in uniform and by the existing fora, even the deal with the PPP seems to have stumbled on these very questions. The election schedule for the presidential election is to be announced in a day or two, but the hush-hush surrounding it points to anything but “democratic elections”. In fact, all indications are that the military will want a continuation of the duality of offices by Gen Musharraf. If he is elected by the existing assemblies and in uniform, the parliamentary elections that will follow will have lost much of their value. With the president being the army chief and head of the National Security Council, besides enjoying the powers available under article 58-2(b), it would not really matter who became prime minister.

A continuation of the present civilian-military mix will hardly inspire the people’s confidence in the rulers, nor will the donors countenance the prolongation of a regime that has not delivered in the war on terror. As we have repeated in these columns we urge President Musharraf to shed his uniform and seek re-election from the new assemblies. Any other mode of election will invite contempt and possibly a domestic backlash in the form of a popular agitation.

Foreign opinion polls

FOREIGN opinion polls’ findings need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Take for instance the latest offering from the American non-profit Terror Free Tomorrow. Among many of its discoveries the one that got the most attention on Thursday was that Osama bin Laden is more popular than Gen Musharraf. Benazir Bhutto emerged the most popular, with 67 per cent of the respondents viewing her favourably. However, that finding didn’t make for as good a headline as bin Laden beating Musharraf. Given the political climate in the country it should not come as a surprise to anyone, least of all the Pakistani media,that Gen Musharraf is as unpopular as he is, yet the report which stated the obvious, received a lot of attention here. Why is there a tendency to give so much importance to foreign opinion? What does this say about our own intellectual abilities? In August, an opinion poll by BBC put Nawaz Sharif ahead of all leaders in the country. This created a lot of hype and even seemed to worry the government especially as analysts were predicting a larger turnout at his return from exile than the one Ms Bhutto was accorded in 1986. What we saw was the exact opposite. This is not to suggest that the BBC poll was wrong or that Terror Free Tomorrow’s report is way off the mark but such polls need to be seen against a certain backdrop and those conditions are constantly changing.

Polls can be useful in ascertaining certain factors but they can become dangerous if they are used as tools to implement strategies. Militant groups could interpret the 46 per cent favourable opinion of Osama bin Laden as peoples’ desire for an Islamic style revolution when that is not necessarily the case. Despite receiving unfavourable ratings in opinion polls, President Bush was re-elected as president in 2004, which should remind everyone that polls are not a reflection of ground reality. To get a real understanding of what people want, one will have to wait until the elections. A fair and free electoral exercise is the true yardstick to determine how a people think and what they desire. The rest is speculation, even if it is done in a scientific and methodical manner.

Going slow on junk food

CITING medical opinion on the subject, a report in this paper has pointed out that obesity in children is on the rise in Pakistan. This is not surprising, especially in large cities where children are increasingly taking to junk food, finding both its presentation and taste more appealing than that of everyday home-cooked meals. What is equally alarming is the ignorant and careless attitudes of parents who have no qualms about letting their child indulge in the wrong eating habits. What they do not realise is that the regular consumption of fast food by their offspring is a precursor to a variety of medical conditions, some of which the children may already be predisposed to such as diabetes and high blood pressure that are inherent in many families.

It is, of course, unrealistic to lobby for shutting down fast food joints, especially when eating out has become a leisure activity in the absence of many other avenues of entertainment in our cities. But parents can ensure that visits to eateries dishing out unhealthy fare are kept to a minimum and children are taught the value of nutritious meals. Positive input in this regard is also expected from school administrations that should oversee canteen menus, making sure that students are not served food high in salt, sugar and fat content or soft drinks. Instead, they should aim for healthily prepared, vitamin-rich snacks. The other important element that leads to obesity is lack of exercise. A sedentary lifestyle, as witnessed in today’s young urban generation, has made matters worse. Schools no longer seem to emphasise sports. Indeed, many private ones are located inside homes with hardly a patch of ground for children to run about in. Yet exercise remains the key to good health — even when a person’s diet is healthy. Those schools with limited space can organise group sports for students on public grounds and parks a few times a week. Parents also have a role to play as they can encourage their offspring to take up a sport rather than play computer games or watch television all the time. While the media and doctors’ bodies can do much to spread the message of healthy lifestyles, the local bodies can certainly help by providing parks and playgrounds for children.

A month of special sanctity

THERE is a stir all over the place, an atmosphere of jubilation. It is Ramazan calling. Faces that had tearfully bade farewell to the holy month a year ago, are now lit with rapturous joy to welcome it again. It has been a long wait, for Ramazan makes a difference in the normal routine and creates a peculiarly serene, pure and peaceful ambience.

Mosques draw larger crowds in this month than at any other time during the year. Extraordinary activity is therefore noticeable in mosques with the approach of the month to give them a general face-lift and put other arrangements in place for prayers.

As the sun sets on the twenty-ninth of Sha’ban, believers — men, women and children — would flock excitedly to roofs and open spaces craning their necks, some even using binoculars, to catch a glimpse of the crescent that will herald a whole month of Divine bounty. A similar rejoicing would happen on the twenty-ninth of Ramazan, when believers would prepare for Eidul fitr. The former would be to welcome the holy month; the latter to express satisfaction at a mission successfully accomplished.

Having sighted the moon or being otherwise informed of its appearance, believers would humbly, yet eagerly, enter the 30-day test of self-abnegation and self-restraint ordained by Allah. The appearance of the Ramazan moon brings a drastic sort of change not only in their normal routine of eating and drinking but even in their conduct and demeanour. From dawn to dusk henceforward, for a whole month, they will deny unto themselves a grain of food and a drop of liquid. Not only will they pay zakat on their wealth but spend as much additionally as they can, to earn His pleasure. Not only more and longer prayers would be offered but also more people would recite the Quran and offer regular prayers during this month than at any time during the year.

These are the people who experience the real pleasure of iftar, with fresh fruits, hot pakodas and cool and refreshing drink after practically several hours. Those who do not fast are unaware of the exultation. One who has not suffered deprivation cannot gauge the happiness of a person whose deprivation is relieved. It is the hungry and the thirsty who can appreciate the real value of food and drink.Fasting therefore serves a dual purpose. It not only gives additional zing to the food; it also awakens the believers to the anguish of the needy and the right of the one “who asks and who is prevented from asking” in their resources. (70:25)

Many among the believers would offer Taraweeh, the extra prayers that are exclusive to Ramazan. Starting after sighting of the moon, it would continue for the whole month during which the imam would recite the entire 30 chapters of the Quran.

True, many people would not understand the recitation. But, such is its miraculous charm that even without understanding the Arabic text of the Quran, if one simply concentrates on the recitation, he would be carried away by the rhymes of the verses and experience a feeling of blissful tranquility and exultation. This is due to the fact that the Quran is a healer of the soul. Says Allah; “O mankind! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord, a healing for (the diseases) in your hearts, a guidance and a mercy for believers.” (10:57). A similar statement occurs at 17:82; “And, We reveal in the Quran which is a healing and a mercy for believers.” No doubt, therefore, that those who can understand the Arabic text would benefit most by listening to the recitation by the imam but even those who cannot would, yet, be benefited by its soothing effect.

Ramazan enjoys special sanctity in the calendar because it was in this month that this celestial healer, this Mother of all books, this message of salvation, this ideal recipe for success in this world and happiness in the next, was bestowed on mankind.

Ramazan is no rigour. Initially one may feel an onset of lassitude. But that is due to the change in the normal routine of eating, drinking and sleeping hours. It disappears after a few days and one gets going about his normal chores.

Yet the question, ‘why fasting?’ refuses to go away, though it has been answered multiple times. Perhaps the response of the believers itself provides the perfect answer, because they are the ones that are directly involved. Whether fasting implies any rigour or pain, they who fast are the best judge.

But they accept it with utmost joy, so much so that when Ramazan approaches its end, they are downcast. They understand that in return for all the countless bounties that Allah showers on them they must produce some tangible testimony of their gratitude to Him. They also realize that even while prescribing this minor test, the Compassionate and Merciful Lord did not depart from His usual solicitude for His Servants. He, therefore, made concession for the sick and travellers and women during their periods. They are permitted to complete the count later. Those who are incapacitated by their illness from fasting altogether are permitted to feed an indigent for each day of fast missed.

Naturally, therefore, such people respond to the call of Ramazan with the same alacrity as when they respond to Allah’s call for Hajj with “Lubbaik Allahumma labbaik” (I come, O my Lord! I come).

E’tekaf and fitra are also exclusive to Ramazan. Whereas fitra is a special charity, e’tikaf, amount to cutting oneself off from the world. Those who perform e’tekaf, repair to mosques, for the last 10 days of Ramazan. Except for toilet or wash, they would not leave the “cloister,” where they would spend all the time that they are awake, in prayers or dhikr, or reciting the Quran.

Blessed indeed are those who discharge their duty by their Master and whose offer the Master accepts. Theirs will be the faces that shine on eidul fitr here, and on the Day of Judgment in the hereafter, a true illustration of “Allah well pleased with them and they with Him” (98:8).

A sober outlook for the new year

Haaretz

THE reservists’ protest was scornfully rejected, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert continues to insist Lebanon was a victory, and chief of staff Dan Halutz and defence minister Amir Peretz were pushed out feeling insulted, as if they had been wronged.

The Winograd report addressed failures and the need for conclusions and lessons. Olmert was rebuked for his judgment, as well as his flawed and superficial planning. He failed to explain to the public why he appointed an obviously ill-suited defence minister and went to war with him at the helm…Everyone defines differently his axis of evil, the good and the bad, but no one doubts the fact that the world is becoming more dangerous by the minute.

When a diner at a Japanese restaurant in London can be slipped nuclear poison, which kills him after several days of excruciating pain, we cannot stop fighting the threat.

…A group of moderate states is forming in the Middle East, and while this group may be weak, perhaps even temporary due to regime changes, Israel must do everything in its power to bring the Palestinian state into this group. So long as Hamas refuses to recognise Israel and prefers the Iranian rhetoric calling for the destruction of the Zionist state, and so long as Syria is on the Iranian side of the equation, by choice and not by compulsion, Israel must cling to Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas with all its strength and prove it is willing to make concessions to those who acknowledge its existence and are willing to cooperate with it.

The talks with Abbas are now the light at the end of a very dark and dangerous tunnel, a model for what the Middle East can be one day, in an era of sanity. — (Sept 11)

Circumstantial factors

Turkish Daily News

EVERY year, hundreds of our people, mostly women, fall victim to what is described as “honour killing”, while hundreds are compelled to leave their lands, houses, towns and seek refuge in the crowds of big cities in a bid to escape their assassins. Scores of young girls “commit suicide” — or their deaths are presented as such — to save family members “eager to save their honour” from prosecution. Hundreds fall behind iron bars to serve time for the heinous acts they undertake to save their honour.

Honour crimes are the worst and most primitive product of the circumstantial factors, and according to many sociologists are nothing more than a residue of the understanding of justice from nomadic tribal times. Though nomadic life to a great extent vanished in this country, tribal social structure remains a reality, particularly in the south-eastern parts of our country, and poses the greatest challenge to the advancement of democracy and democratic culture in a large segment of our society.

Engaging in comprehensive land reform, enforcing the principle of equality in front of law and through all means — including the media — launching a massive education campaign to raise awareness of individual rights and liberties should be considered as important as fighting separatist terrorism... It is of great importance that (president) Abdullah Gül is making his first domestic trip to the eastern and south-eastern provinces. That is a very strong message from the top post of the state indicating the high attention and importance attached to the problems of the region’s people. We have to understand that the problems of the people in the southeast are multi-faceted. These problems need to be addressed within democracy, wider freedoms and a full understanding… (Sept 11)